The process of developing a strong brand requires a clear vision of how you want your company and its products to be perceived and what portion of the market you hope to reach. Once you have determined these factors, the benefits of the strong brand you create will drive your business.

Customer Recognition

When a customer makes a decision to buy one product over another, the branding image of that product sometimes plays a significant role. Brands that are well-established, have a good reputation and are immediately recognizable to the consumer are more likely to be purchased than those that are unknown, according to Professor Steve Hoeffler of the University of Carolina and Professor Kevin Lane Keller of Dartmouth College. People often trust what they know and distrust or at least are suspicious of the unknown. Whether the influence of your strong brand gets the consumer to consider purchasing your product or it altogether dismisses the lesser-known competition, it has paid off.

New Product

A strong brand makes the development and launch of new products and product lines less risky and more welcome on the whole by the consumer. For example, if a consumer has purchased your widgets and found them to be of good quality and value, she will be more likely to try the new line of household tools that carry your brand when you release them next year. If all things are equal and the price of your product is comparable to the price of the unknown brand next to you on the retail shelf, the consumer is likely to go with your brand thanks to the strength of its name and the frequency with which she has seen it in advertisements and throughout her daily life.

Loyalty and Price

While a powerful brand will help to bring new customers to you, it will also help to keep existing customers loyal. Customers who have tried the brand on the strength of its name and reputation and who have been happy with the results are not likely to move away in favor of a new product. By the same token, customers who are loyal to your brand will remain so through a rise in prices and a further establishment of your brand as a high-quality player in comparison to the rest of the market. Over time, this can bring increased profits and an enhanced market share and prestige for the brand.

Targeted Message

When attempting to create a strong brand, keep the message clear, consistent and targeted at the audience you ultimately want to win over. Wasted time and effort reaching out to the marketplace as a whole and a muddled mix of marketing messages that end up confusing rather than establishing your company identity can only lessen the impact of your brand and the success of your product line. Instead choose a path and stick to it so the true benefits of your product are what drives the consumer when it comes time to make a purchase.

About the Author

Robert Morello has an extensive travel, marketing and business background. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University in 2002 and has worked in travel as a guide, corporate senior marketing and product manager and travel consultant/expert. Morello is a professional writer and adjunct professor of travel and tourism.